Shoe



March 29, 1938. w. F. A. BUEHNER ,7

SHOE] Filed Sept. 1, 1937 facility.

- of which Patented Mar. 29, 1938 UNITED/STATES PATENT oFF ca I SHOE William F. A. Buelmer, New York, N. Y.

Application September 1,1937, Serial No. 162,025

2 Claims.

changed to suit and conform with the style and color and character of costume or dress, or accessories or the like; and, also to follow or-carry out the desires and preferences or whims of. the wearer.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a shoe structure in which the top and the heel portions can be interchanged and replaced with respect to the sole structure, to thus give different colors and styles and characteristics to the same base or shoe sole portion.

Another object is to so construct and associate and assemble the parts that the top portion can be quickly and easily detached and any number of interchangeable top portions can be provided to be applied or attached with the same speed and Still another purpose is to provide detachable heel portions together with means for holding and retaining the heel portion in place with respect to the sole portion, to thus permit quick and ready changing of the heel member, and to yet insure that the heel portion will remain in place when the shoe is in use.

Yet a further object is 'to provide a shoe structure of this character with which upper portions of different sizes and styles can be interchangeably fltted, to thus fit individuals having feet possessed of different characteristics, a thick or a flat instep portion, and the like.

With the above and other objects in view, some will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and others inherent in and resultant from the particular construction, my invention includes certain novelfeatures of construction and combinations and arrangements and associations of parts which will be hereinafter set forth in con= nection with the drawing and then pointed out in the claims. a

In the drawing:

Figure 1 shoe constructed according to my invention.

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view 'of the shoe.

Fig. l is a detail view showing one of the strap members of the shoe upper to fit over and acrossthe forward part of the foot.

Fig. 5 illustrates a strap member cooperating with the member shown in Fig. 4.

FigJ G is a detail front elevation of holding clip. I

Fig. 7 is a view in front elevation illustrating the detachable heel.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating one of the attaching tabs carried by the sole portion. p v

the heel as for instance is a view in perspective showing a r tener portions Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view to better show the manner of assembling and attaching,

or securing some of the strap members making up the shoe upper portion.

As illustrated, the shoe sole member Iis made substantially continuous throughout the sole portion and the instep and heel portions, and this sole member I has a lining or finishing cover 2 cemented or sewed or otherwise secured on the upper side thereof. To all intents and purposes,

the sole member I can be made to follow an outline substantially similar to like portions of an ordinary shoe, and -.this sole member can be shaped in the arch or instep and-in the heel portions to substantially conform to the lines of the foot. Shoe upper attaching tabs 3 and 4 are in-.

' tegrally secured on opposite sides of the sole portion I, adjacent to the toe part and rearwardly adjacent to the location of the ballot the foot.

' Shoe upper attaching tabs 5 are connected with the sole portion I in the general location ofthe normal forward edge of a heel structure. The shoe upper is'fmade up or composed essentially of strap-like members 6, I, 8 and 9, and a heel strap member 22, detachably connected together and having their endsdetachably connected with the attaching tabs 3, 4 and 5.

As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the strap members 6 and 1 are of substantially equal length and areprovided at their ends with portions I I of a snap I fastener adapted to be detachably connected-with mating portions Ill of the snap fastener carried by the attaching tabs 3. The strap I has in its middle area an extending or stud portion I2 of a snap fastener, and the strap 6 is provided with an opening I3 through which this extending portion I2 of the snap fastener will pass, after the manner illustrated in Fig. 9. The strap 9 has at one end a mating portion I4 of a-snap fastener which is fitted to cooperate with the snap fastener portion I2 to hold the two straps G and 1 in crossed relation and to dispose the strap member! to extend.rearwardly therefrom. The free end of this strap member 9 is provided with a portion of a snap fastener and the strap 8 has-in its middle area a mating portion of a snap fastener to cooperate with the snap fastener portion on the free end of the strap 9. At its ends, this strap portion 8 has openings similar to opening l3 to receive the extending studs of snap fas- III on the attaching tabs 5.

The heel strap member 22 has at its ends snap,

- fastener portions 23 which fit or snap and hold on I the portions II) of the tabs 5 to thus connect and hold the heel strap member and also hold the ends of strap 8 in place. I Y

Obviously, the strap portions 6, I, 8, 9 and 22 can be made I of'any desired shape or conflgurat lon and of any suitable material, and can be decorated or ornamented and can be colored to suit difi'erent requirements of use and different tastes or desires of the wearer. Also, the strap portions can be made of various materials, as for example leather or fabric where a maximum of yieldability or stretchability is not required, or of elastic material or the like, where elasticity is necessary or desirable.

, displacement of the heel member I5, I provide a retaining flange 2i, and to insure that the heel .member l5 will be held substantially rigidly in place, I may make the flange portions ll and I8 slightly yieldable to permit the heel portion to be forced into place and to then retain this heel portion or member II against casual or accidental displacement. Of course, the heel member I! can be made of any desired material or can be finished in any desired and approved manner.

In the use of my improvedshoe structure, the fastener portions ll of the several strap mem- -bers can be retained on the fastener portions ill on the attaching tabs 3, I and 5, and the shoe upper can then be entirely removed, to be replaced at any desired time, or leaving the shoe sole portion available for fitting and attachment of a shoe upper structure of difi'erent character or color or style or material, as may be desired by the individual user and wearer. Also, the heel member II can be moved forwardlyto disengage the attaching portions of this heel member from the attaching portions of the heel clip l6, and

then the heel can be readily removed, to bereplaced at any time desired, or to have substituted therefor a heel of difierent size or height, or of material, or color, or finish, or other characteristics.

As has been stated or intimated, the strap por- "tions of the upper can be made of any desired and approved material, pf any color and finish, or

other characteristics can be embodied to suit the desires and requirements of individual distributors or merchandisers, and of'-difi.'erent wearers or users.

v For example,'a shoe store or dealer can have a plurality of sole portions I of standard and perhaps neutral appearance, or ofv various huesor colors, and then whenindividual re- I quirements are to be met,- the accessory portions,-

consisting of the straps I and 1, I, I and 22 and the heel II, can be supplied and assembled. If

the strap portions i and I and I be made of dif ferent lengths, individual fittings of considerable accuracy can be made to accomplish a neat and accurate fit upon a full or slender foot, and by providing straps 22 of diiferent lengths and widths neat and accurate fittings at the heel can be accomplished. Further, by making these strap portions of elasticor yielding material, a self conforming and self fitting upper structure can be provided. The length of the strap 9 can be varied to throw the strap I higher or lower across the top of the instep of the foot, and in other manners variation of the length and connection of the-strap portions can be made to suit and fit the particular foot of the individual wearer. with the heel members I! made and constructed to be readily attached and detached, it is possible to change the heel to suit the color or other characteristics of a changed upper portion, and it will be appreciated that heel members I! of different heights and diflerent tread sizes and different shapes or designs can be interchangeably fitted and used.

Although snap fasteners are particularly described and illustrated, other forms and types of fastenings can be used, the primary purpose being to provide fastenings that allow and'facilitate ready detachment and attachment and interchanging of the strap members. 15

While I have herein shown and described only certain specific embodiments of my invention and have suggested only certain possible modifications, it will be understood and appreciated that many other changes and variations can be made in the form, construction, arrangement, assembly and association of the parts, in the mate'- rialsused, and in other respects, without depart ing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. A shoe comprising, a sole member, a plurality of upper attaching tabs carried in pairs. at opposite edges .of the sole member with a for ward pair adjacent to the toe end of the sole and theintermediate pair adjacent to the forward end of the instep and a rear p'air'adjacent to the rear of the instep, fastener portions on each of the tabs, a pair of toe arch-straps associated in diagonally crossed tions on said straps crossed straps each with one end attached to a forward tab and the other end attached to one of the intermediate tabs, a transverse instep strap, fastener portions on the transverse instep strap detachably connecting said strap with the rear attaching tabs to arch over the instep in front of the ankle, and a longitudinal instep strap connected at its forward end with said toe rality of upper attaching tabs carried in pairs at opposite edges of the sole member with a forward pair adjacent to the toe end of the sole and the intermediate pair adjacent to the forward end of the instep and a rear pair adjacent to the rear of the instep, fastener portions on each of the tabs,'a pair of toe arch straps associated in diagonally crossed relation, mating fastener portionson said straps detachably connecting the crossed straps each with one end attached to a forward tab and the other end attached to one'of the intermediate tabs, a transverse instep strap. fastener portions on the transverse instep strap detachably connecting said strap with the rear attaching tabs to arch over the instep in front of the ankle, a longitudinal instep strap connected at its'forward end with said toe arch strapssubstantially at the point of crossing of said straps and connected at its rear end with the arched up portion of the transverse instep strap, and a heel strap detachably connected at its ends with said rear attaching tabs and arching upwardly to catch over the rear of the heel of a wearer.

Muslim-- relation, mating fastener por- 

